Art class keeps kids turning pages on creativity

Bella Garcia-Rangel had a goal to teach kids everything they would need to know about making a book, and she went through the topic cover to cover.

Last Saturday's class on creating a literary masterpiece - or at least its packaging - was part of a youth art series being taught once a month at The Salvation Army by Garcia-Rangel.

The class went over the parts of a book, such as its pages, cover and spine, and the various ways a book can be bound by gluing or stitching and other methods. For Saturday's hands-on lesson, participants stuck to stitching.

Eight girls about middle school age gathered around tables in the community room at The Salvation Army and were given the materials to build their own book. Stickers, washi tape - a decorative tape made of rice paper - and a myriad of colorful construction paper in solids and prints were at their disposal.

Before they could start creating, Garcia-Rangel went over how they would make the books and what the parts of a book are.

"Why do they call it a spine," asked 11-year-old AJ Roundtree.

"It holds the book together," Garcia-Rangel responded. "It keeps it all stable. If you didn't have a spine, you'd be all floppy."

The bookmaking class was the second to be held and the second one AJ had attended. The first was at the end of January and helped kids create their own comic books. It went over framing, story writing and how to lay out the pages. For AJ, she is drawn to the creative freedom the classes offer.

"I can do whatever I feel like," she said as she perused the materials for making the books. "Of course, I have to stick to the topic, but I can do whatever I want. I've been to art classes that make you do a certain (design)."

Part of the allure to AJ of each class is not knowing what's going to be coming next until it's posted on Facebook or her mom tells her. "I get so excited because it seems so cool."

Garcia-Rangel had the idea for the class last year and discussed it with her parents, lieutenants Jon and Rosie Tollerud, who run The Salvation Army in Wrangell.

"I thought it was a great idea," her mom said. "I told her to get it on paper, what the plan looks like. Oh, my goodness, it was really good last month. She was well planned, and the time went by really well."

Rosie Tollerud helps with the class but mainly stays behind the scenes and lets her daughter run the show. Along with artistic instruction the class offers a free lunch, which was tacos at last Saturday's group.

At the moment, the class is held once a month, but if interest increases, Garcia-Rangel said they would consider holding it more often. Each class will be different to give kids access to a creative outlet they might not have explored before. She said they are considering a music class and possibly a painting class.

"I have a bunch of canvases, and we could do something that could go on display somewhere," Garcia-Rangel said. "A couple of girls who come are part of the Bible Bowl team, so if we could (we would like to) sell art at the community market to help them raise money for the competition."

If Wrangell's team wins the Southeast Bible Bowl competition, which tests teams' knowledge of the Bible, they will go on to compete in California in June. The funds they're trying to raise would be used to take the team to Disneyland while they're in Southern California.

For Garcia-Rangel, the class is also a chance to explore her creative side and help others do the same.

"I love doing artsy stuff," she said. "Art is my life. It's the only thing I'm good at."

Her parents believe the classes will be a success because of Garcia-Rangel's verve for the subject.

"This is her passion, so of course it's going to work out great," Rosie Tollerud said.

The class is open for boys and girls ages 10-16. For more information, call 907-874-3753 or email jon.tollerud@usw.salvationarmy.org.